Fuel Mass Change Estimates for High Pressure Fuel System Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high pressure fuel system control, diagnostics, and prognostics methods are limited in accuracy, precision, range of operation, reliability, and robustness, often requiring disabling or modifying system components for evaluation, and are restricted to specific conditions.
Innovation Solution
The use of fuel mass change estimates for controlling, diagnosing, and prognosticating high pressure fuel systems, which involves measuring pressure changes and determining fuel mass changes through a system of sensors and electronic control units to manage fuel injectors and pumps without interrupting system operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing diagnostic methods are used to evaluate fuel system components, then component evaluation can be performed, but system operation must be disabled or modified which reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous monitoring of fuel system components during normal operation by using real-time pressure sensor data to calculate fuel mass changes. The electronic control unit continuously compares actual fuel mass changes against expected values, allowing diagnostics without interrupting the fuel pumping or injection operations. This maintains continuous useful action of the fuel system while performing measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel system performs self-diagnosis by using its own operational data (pressure measurements from sensors already present in the system) to detect component conditions. The electronic control unit processes normal operational pressure fluctuations to identify deviations indicating component degradation, allowing the system to monitor itself without external intervention or operational disruption.
2Reliability
If modified system operation is used for component evaluation, then diagnostic capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the electronic control unit continuously monitors pressure sensor data, calculates fuel mass changes, and compares them against expected values stored in memory. When deviations exceed thresholds, the system generates diagnostic indications. This closed-loop feedback approach provides reliable diagnostics using existing system components and normal operational modes, avoiding increased operational complexity.
3Measurement precision
If traditional diagnostic approaches are used, then component evaluation is possible, but measurement accuracy is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or intrusive measurement methods with a calculation-based approach using pressure sensor data. Instead of directly measuring fuel mass flow or disrupting the fuel system with physical measurement devices, the system uses the relationship between pressure changes and fuel mass changes (governed by fuel compressibility) to indirectly but accurately determine fuel mass variations. This substitution maintains measurement accuracy while avoiding measurement difficulties associated with direct mechanical measurement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables precise and accurate control and diagnostics of high pressure fuel systems, allowing for continuous operation and improved reliability by determining fuel mass changes without disabling components, thus enhancing the overall performance and efficiency of the system.
Implementation Method 1
determining a fuel mass change corresponding to the target fuel mass change event in response to the pressure change
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes operating a pump to pump fuel to a rail and concurrently operating one or more injectors to inject fuel from the rail into one or more cylinders of an engine. The method further includes filtering measurements of fuel pressure of the rail to determine filtered pressures for at least a first pressure measurement zone preceding a target event and a second pressure measurement zone succeeding a target fuel mass change event, determining a pressure change in response to the filtered pressures, and determining a fuel mass change of the target event in response to the pressure change.